In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or Middle Ages time period lasted around from the fifth to the late 15th centuries, likewise to the postclassical period of worldwide history. It started with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and transitioned into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery. The Middle Ages is the middle period of the three conventional departments of Western history: classical antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the contemporary period. The Middle Ages period is itself partitioned into the early, high, and late Middle Ages.

Population decrease, counter-urbanization, the collapse of central authority, invasions of countries, and mass movements of tribes, which had started in late antiquity, continued into the early Middle Ages. The massive movements of the Migration Period, including but not limited to numerous Germanic tribes, formed new kingdoms in what remained of the Western Roman Empire. In the seventh century, North Africa and the Middle East—once part of the Byzantine Empire—came under the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate, an Islamic empire, after conquest by Muhammad's followers.

Explore more about this long time in history, a dark time when people faced countless challenges to their survival.